Sednaya Prison Massacre

The Syrian Human Rights Committee has learned from a source inside Sednaya Prison that members of the military police changed the locks on all the prison cells on the night of the 4th of July 2008. The following morning, an additional back – up force arrived at the prison. A search of the prison quarters ensued during which copies of the holy Quran were trampled on by guards. Several Islamist detainees, angered by the act, rushed to retrieve the copies of the Quran. Members of the military police opened fire killing nine detainees instantly; Zakaria Affash, Mohammed Mahareesh, Abdulbaqi Khattab, Ahmed Shalaq, Khalid Bilal, Mo’aid Al – Ali, Mohannad Al – Omar and Khader Alloush. During the commotion that followed, several detainees confronted the military police who opened fire again. It has been reported that 25 detainees were killed but we have not been able to ascertain their identities.There were a number of conflicting reports about the incident. One account mentioned that the detainees took members of the military police and prison employees hostage. Yet another account revealed that detainees fled to the roof of the prison after military and security police fired tear gas and smoke bombs. It has since been confirmed that a number of tanks and armoured vehicles lay siege to the prison, erecting check points to prevent the families of the detainees from entering the prison to inquire about the fate of their relatives. A special wing at Tishreen Military Hospital was dedicated to dealing with the dead and the injured. The wing was completely closed off making it impossible to gain access through any other wing of the hospital.News continued to trickle out from inside the prison for three days. On the third day, news completely tapered off. Nothing was heard of the massacre until rumours of the killings and shootings began to circulate widely. Authorities released a terse statement two days later alleging that detainees convicted in terror crimes disrupted the peace which necessitated the direct interference of the Anti – Riot Police Unit to restore law and order, investigate the incident and prepare a list of charges in order to bring those indicted to trial. Several families sought, to no avail, to visit or inquire about relatives. No visitors have been allowed into Sednaya Prison since the outbreak of violence. We have no knowledge of anyone being released from prison since that date. It is believed that the Sednaya massacre, in which an unknown number of Islamist activities were killed, is reminiscent of the Tadmur Prison and al – Mezze Prison massacres. The Syrian Authorities are keeping the whole matter under wraps on the hope that the passage of time will sweep the whole affair under the rug.The bodies of a few detainees were handed over to their families. On the 17th of July 2008, the body of an Islamist from al – Senno family from Arbeen, arrested two years prior to the massacre, was delivered to his family. Authorities claimed he had died as a result of a hunger strike but he was most likely one of the victims of the massacre. Negotiations with the family of the Jordanian detainee Jameel Abdullah Abu – Shihada resulted in his body being handed over to his family on the 16th of August 2008. It has not been confirmed whether he died in the massacre or as a result of torture.The prison came under heavy scrutiny again towards the end of the year when highly confidential information from a special source estimated the number of detainees liquidated since the events in July to be around 127. The same source revealed that detainee cells were re – allocated and several detainees were transferred to other prisons.The events at Sednaya remain shrouded in mystery awaiting more information and clarification.